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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28683012">BlackJack ♠️</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/peblezQ/pseuds/peblezQ'>peblezQ</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Hamilton Week - Lams Birthday Bash [9]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>18th Century CE RPF, 21 (2008), American Revolution RPF, Hamilton - Miranda, Historical RPF</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Dark, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Birthday, Bisexual Alexander Hamilton, Blackjack, Crossover, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Everyone Is An Asshole, Gambling, Gay John Laurens, Harvard University, If You Squint - Freeform, Implied Alexander Hamilton/George Washington, Implied/Referenced Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Internalized Homophobia, Lams - Freeform, Lams Birthday Bash, Las Vegas, M/M, Prompt Fic, Slow Burn, counting cards, dark!john</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-01-10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-01-10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-13 06:42:06</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>3,234</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28683012</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/peblezQ/pseuds/peblezQ</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>George Washington, a math professor at Harvard University, recruits six brilliant students and uses their skills to win millions of dollars at blackjack in Las Vegas.</p><p>He stumbles across Alexander Hamilton, a 21-year-old pre-law student in one of his classes and urges him to join their team. There, Alex meets; Angelica Schulyer, Richard Kidder Meade, Maria Lewis, Aaron Burr, and John Laurens.</p><p>Prompt #9 - First Impressions</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Alexander Hamilton/John Laurens</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Hamilton Week - Lams Birthday Bash [9]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/2086494</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>6</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>26</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>Lams Birthday Bash</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>BlackJack ♠️</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Okay, I had to do so much research for this fic — so much so that my FBI agent on Google now gives me anti-gambling ads xD I didn’t know how to play blackjack — let alone count cards — so I did research, cried a little, and kinda gave up and just took all the math and blackjack bits from the 2008 movie “21” because math makes my brain cry.</p><p>Fun Fact: Ned is Edward Stevens (Alexander’s actual foster brother) and Jim is James Hamilton Jr. (Alexander’s actual biological brother).</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <em>Winds crashing through homes, rain pelting against your sore skin, and screams of peril inside flames are things that still haunt my dreams. I received a scholarship much like yours after my hometown was ripped to shreds in a hurricane. It was enough to get me this far, but not enough to cover Law school.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>This scholarship requires good grades and intriguing life experiences to qualify. I could just tell you the story of that hurricane, maybe get a few tears and tug on some heartstrings, but that is not the story I wish to tell you today. I want to share an experience that happened solely because I chose for it to happen. No games of chance but rather a game of probability and statistical choice making. </em>
</p><p><em>You see, I learned how to play this card game </em>—<em> you may have heard of it. Blackjack.</em></p><p>
  <em>This story doesn't begin during a hurricane in St. Croix on the Island of Nevis as one would think. This story begins in Boston on my twenty-first birthday...</em>
</p>
<h3>~°•°•°~</h3><p>"Happy birthday to you!" Ned and Jim sing brightly. Alex sighs and blows out the candle on the store-bought cupcake.</p><p>"Congrats! Welcome to the world of adulthood!" Jim cheers the air with his pint of Sam Adams.</p><p>"I've legally been an adult since I was eighteen," Alex replies with a lifted brow and a smirk.</p><p>"Ah, but you're twenty-one now which means you're allowed to drink with the rest of us!" Ned proclaims, looping his arm around Alex's shoulder brightly.</p><p>"Did you receive any phone calls from people wishing you a happy birthday?" Jim asks nonchalantly.</p><p>Alex shrugs casually. "Got a phone call from dad and the Stevens sibling clan," Alex says with a grin. Ned smiles and pats Alex's shoulder.</p><p>"What about dad-dad?" Jim asks quietly.</p><p>Alex's smile falters and he shrugs. "Nah. He's probably busy."</p><p>"Fucking asshole," Jim mutters under his breath.</p><p>"I wouldn't expect any different from James Hamilton Senior," Ned groans with a roll of his eyes. Alex lifts his mug in mock cheers and they all take gulps of their beer.</p><p>"I must admit that it is nice to legally drink in bars now," Alex states while placing the beer down on the table and passing the cupcake to his brother, Jim, who has been eyeing it all night.</p><p>“Yeah. Don’t party too hard, though. Gotta keep that brain of yours sharp if you wanna get into Harvard Law,” Ned replies while knocking his fist lightly onto Alex’s head.</p><p>"Can't get into Harvard Law without a scholarship," Alex reminds Ned with a sigh and a long sip of his beer.</p><p>"Just write about the hurricane, that should grab their attention," Jim replies with a shrug.</p><p>Alex slams his mug on the table, the cutlery clattering as he does so. "I'm sick and tired of that goddamned hurricane being the thing driving my life. I just want to do something special on my own for once. I don't want money for pity, not out of luck, but because I fucking <em>earned</em> it. I have a mind of my own, dammit, and I wanna use it!"</p><p>Ned wordlessly raises his mug. "Then cheers to a new year of your life and a new you who earns his way through school with only your brilliance and wit."</p><p>"Hear hear!" Jim cheers with a grin, lifting his mug to clank it against Ned's. Alex smiles fondly and raises his own mug, clanking all three glasses together before they all chug their remaining alcohol down.</p><p>A nearby table with frat boys roars something loudly and one of the guys stumbles over, falling onto Alex with a red face and hoarse laughter. Alex groans, spilling his drink everywhere. “Fuck!’ he hisses as the guy sluggishly stands up.</p><p>“Sorry,” the tall guy drawls, patting Alex with a drunken grin. “Hope that wasn’t a new shirt,” the guy says dopily, his southern accent sending an unnecessary flame down Alex’s spine; his breath reeks of alcohol.</p><p>“I’m fine. Watch yourself, will ya?” Alex replies, picking up some napkins to wipe up the beer-stained into his sweater. The guy slaps his shoulder hard and stumbles away.</p><p>“Think that was John Laurens,” Jim says offhandedly.</p><p>“Who?” Alex grumbles, looking up from his hopeless attempt to save his sweater.</p><p>“He’s in Harvard Med, I think. I have biology class with him,” Jim replies offhandedly as he sips his beer, watching the guy cheer obnoxiously loud with his friends. “He’s from old money. A family legacy at Harvard and shit.”</p><p>Ned whistles, raising his brows before taking another sip. Alex glares over his shoulder at this Laurens kid, his lips pinching against his teeth and his eyes narrowed spitefully. He hates kids like him who waste away their time getting plastered and not having a single care for money.</p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p>Alexander sits through the lecture with his head resting on his palm, watching Professor Washington give his lecture with feigned interest. Ned flicks his neck and he resists the urge to grin.</p><p>“Alright, now, who can explain Newton's method and how you use it?” Professor Washington asks with his arms folded over his chest. Ned raises his hand and Washington gestures towards him, encouraging him to answer.</p><p>“You can use it to solve nonlinear equations,” Ned says cheekily, causing the class to erupt into giggles. Alex rolls his eyes fondly.</p><p>“That's impressive. That's really good. No, I mean, I'm very impressed by that, especially since my class is called <em>Nonlinear Equations,”</em> Washington replies while crumpling up a piece of paper and throwing it at Ned. He flinches away from it and the class laughs a bit louder.</p><p>“Okay, now somebody tell me something I don't already know,” Washington says with his hands in his pockets, glancing at the faces of his students. “Anyone? Bueller. C’mon—” Alex raises his pencil slightly and Washington takes notice, pointing him out with a smile.</p><p>“Uh, Newton stole it,” Alex mutters with a smirk. Ned snorts and leans against his fist.</p><p>“I'm sorry?” Professor Washington asks quizzically, his eyes flickering towards another student momentarily before reverting to Alex.</p><p>“Newton stole it. Joseph Raphson published this same method 50 years earlier. And if the start value is too far removed from true zero, then it fails,” Alex explains with his lips tugged into a flat line, shrugging nonchalantly at the end.</p><p>Washington smiles with a lifted brow. “I'm sorry, what's your name?”</p><p>“Uh, Alex… Alexander Hamilton.” Alex feels his face heat up as everyone’s attention seems to be focused on him now. “Just...Alex.”</p><p>“So, Alex Hamilton suggests that Joseph Raphson was the original author of this method. Well, if that's the case, then why didn't he get any credit?” No response. Professor Washington paces as he continues. “Well, for one thing, Newton had a better publicist. And for another, after 1700,</p><p>we know very little about Raphson.”</p><p>“Newton also had a cooler name,” Alex chimes, earning a few chuckles.</p><p>“Well, you aren’t wrong there,” Washington replies with a smirk. “Having a cooler name and being a bit louder than the others can definitely earn you more praise…” Washington crosses his arms over his chest. “Okay, let's give Alex a chance for some extra credit, shall we? We're gonna call this the game show host problem.”</p><p>A few more students seem to perk up at the change of pace the class has gone into. Alex squirms in his seat in anticipation as he now has Professor Washington’s full, undivided attention.</p><p>“Alex, suppose you're on a game show and you are given a chance to choose</p><p>from three different doors,” Washington begins, pacing to the three chalkboards and tapping each section as he speaks. “Now, behind one of the doors is a new car. Behind the other two, goats.” A few giggles. “Which door would you choose, Alex?”</p><p>Alex doesn’t really consider his answer, shrugging. “Door number one?”</p><p>Washington smiles and feigns the charm of a gameshow host. “Okay, Alex chose door number one! Now, the game show host, who, by the way, knows what's behind all the other doors, decides to open another door. Let's say he chooses door number three.” He paces to the farthest chalkboard and lowers the top half. “Behind which sits a goat. Now...Alex, mister game show host comes up to you. He says, ‘Alex, do you want to stay with door number one or go with door number two?’ My question for you is it in your interest to switch your choice?”</p><p>Alex glances at the chalkboards as if he can picture the doors and shrugs. “Yeah, why not?”</p><p>“Well, wait,” Washington interrupts, backing up to the boards again. “Remember, the host knows where the car is, so how do you know he's not playing a trick on you? Trying to use reverse psychology to get you to pick a goat?”</p><p>“Well, I wouldn't really care,” Alex replies with a frown. “I mean, my answer's based on statistics — variable change.”</p><p>Washington’s eyes visibly widen ever so slightly, his lips curling upwards before wiping away. “Variable change? But he just asked you a simple question.”</p><p>“Yeah, which changed everything,” Alex responds, gesturing vaguely to the chalkboards.</p><p>“Enlighten us,” Washington asks, folding his arms over his chest with a smirk.</p><p>“Well, when I was originally asked to choose a door, I had a 33.3% chance of choosing right.” Washington flickers his gaze over to another student again as Alex rambles on. “But after he opens one of the doors and then re-offers me the choice, it's now a 66.7% chance if I choose to switch. So, yeah, I'll take door number two — and thank you for that extra 33.3%.”</p><p>Washington snaps his fingers, his grin wide with pride. “Exactly. People, remember, if you don't know which door to open, always account for variable change. Now, see, most people wouldn't make the switch out of paranoia, fear, emotions.” Washington pauses, turning to face Alex again with a strange glint in his eyes. “But Mr. Hamilton, he kept emotions aside and let simple math get his ass into a <em>brand-new car!”</em> Washington says with a performer's charm, getting a few giggles. “Which is better than that goat you've been driving around campus,” he adds offhandedly and Ned snorts, elbowing Alex with a wide grin. Washington speaks in quick segments, wrapping everything up. “Alright, everybody. That's the end of the day. Thank you very much. Your graded papers are down here. You can pick them up on your way out.”</p><p>Everyone stands up, collecting their belongings. Washington walks over to the papers and shuffles through them to look at Alexander Hamilton’s test, smiling at the 96% score. He puts the test down and looks over at Alex who is laughing at something his friends beside him had said. He flickers his gaze towards Aaron Burr, smirking at him with a raised brow. Aaron smiles back knowingly as he slings his bag over his shoulder.</p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p>Alex’s eyes feel droopy as he stares down at his laptop, grabbing his coffee and drinking from it like it’s a lifeline before going back to work. He turns on his phone and sighs at the time; 12:34 AM<strong><em>.</em></strong> The night has only begun and he is ready to curl up into a ball and cry over this essay. The library is completely silent and dark as he types away with determination as he works. He startles when he glances up to see a guy standing in front of his table.</p><p>“Jesus Christ, you scared me,” Alex mutters with his hand gripping his pounding chest.</p><p>“Put your shit away and follow me,” the guy says in a monotonous voice.</p><p>Alex furrows his brows. “Do I know you, pal?”</p><p>“Are you deaf?” The guy snaps stoically. “Put your things away and follow me.”</p><p>Alex rolls his eyes and begins putting his belongings away, furrowing his brows as he studies the mysterious guy. Once he stands up, the guy turns sharply on his heel and begins power walking out of the library. Alex barely keeps up with him as they zigzag through corridors in the dark college hallways.</p><p>Alex studies the back of his head for a while before he snaps his fingers in recognition. “Oh, wait. I <em>have </em>seen you before. You’re in my Nonlinear Equations class, right? With Professor Washington.”</p><p>The guy turns his head, smiling softly. “Yeah. Name’s Aaron Burr.”</p><p>“Mind telling me where the hell we’re going, Aaron Burr?” Alex replies with a wonky grin. “If you plan on murdering me, I’d prefer you to do it now so I don't have to keep walking..”</p><p>Aaron lets out a short dry laugh before reverting his attention to his path again. “Not murder. You’ll see.” He stops in front of one of the chemistry classrooms and opens the door for Alex, gesturing into the room with a wave of his arm. Alex hesitantly walks in and stares quizzically at the table with five people sitting at it, one of which is Professor Washington.</p><p>“Ah, Alex. Glad you could make it,” Washington says with a bright grin.</p><p>“What is this?” Alex asks as he watches Aaron walk around him to pull up a chair.</p><p>A girl he recognizes as a Hall Rep, Angelica Schuyler, gestures vaguely towards the table with a lifted brow. “Blackjack,” she replies dryly.</p><p>“You’ve met Aaron Burr,” Washington says as he nonchalantly shuffles a deck of cards, nodding towards Aaron. “That’s Angelica Schuyler.” She waves sarcastically. “That’s Richard Meade.”</p><p>“Just Meade is fine,” the man in question pipes in with a wink.</p><p>“That’s Maria Lewis,” Washington continues, waving to her. She smiles sweetly at Alex and he shoves his hands in his pockets, smiling with pure befuddlement. “And this is John Laurens,” Washington finishes, putting the cards down and gesturing to the man sitting the farthest away from Alex who barely looks up from his phone to give a half nod. Alex frowns, instantly recognizing him as the asshole who ruined his sweater on his birthday.</p><p>Alex squints at Washington, confused. “Okay? Uh, Professor Washington, what—”</p><p>“George,” he intercepts Alex with stoic features. “You can just call me George outside of class.”</p><p>Alex shakes his head in befuddlement. “What the hell is going on? Why am I here? Is there something wrong with my paper?”</p><p>Maria and Aaron snort, covering their faces as they are unable to resist their laughter. Angelica leans her head on her palm and John rolls his eyes, utterly bored.</p><p>“Well, you found a more efficient method for finding true zero than Isaac Newton and that, my friend, is not so much of a problem as it is a major ass-kicking,” Washington replies cooly, earning a wide-eyed response from Alex.</p><p>“I...pardon?” Alex stutters, feeling lost and desperately wishing to leave.</p><p>“Have you ever played Blackjack?” Washington asks innocently enough and so far out of the topic of their discussion that it gives Alex whiplash. He shakes his head and Washington begins effortlessly dealing cards out on the table as he continues speaking. “No? Well, it's really simple, actually. You play against the dealer. You're given two cards. Face cards are worth 10 points and the closest to 21 wins. If you go over, you lose. If the dealer goes over, they lose.”</p><p>“And if you reach 21, exactly?” Alex asks with a lifted brow.</p><p>Washington flips an ace and jack of spades over, grinning. “Blackjack. You win a perfect score.”</p><p>“It’s the most popular game in the world,” John says with his arms folded over his chest, lifting a curious brow at Alex. “How have you never played it?”</p><p>Alex flushes deeply and shrugs wordlessly. Maria smiles patiently, gesturing to the two decks on the table. “It’s a game about memory. The drawn cards are the past and the ones to come are the future.”</p><p>“And the best part,” Washington cuts in, pausing and smiling conspiringly. “It’s beatable.”</p><p>Alex stares at them for a long time. “Oh wait, you’re talking about—”</p><p>“Counting cards,” Angelica finishes his sentence with a lifted brow.</p><p>“Not to be confused with that song by OneRepublic — <em>ow!”</em> Meade rubs his arm where Aaron elbowed him.</p><p>“Is that even...<em>legal?”</em> Alex asks in a slow, careful tone.</p><p>“Oh, here we go. The pre-law student wanting to get technical,” John groans while rubbing his face tiredly. Alex scowls at him offendedly. “It <em>is</em> legal but highly frowned upon because it’s like figuring out the secret to a carnival game — and that will run them out of business if everyone does it,” John explains with a bored expression.</p><p>“Right,” Alex replies slowly. “So, you guys...are a team that counts cards in Vegas?” They all nod. “How do you find time for that?”</p><p>“We only do this on weekends,” Maria replies with a smirk. “That way it doesn’t interfere with our schooling.”</p><p>Alex nods slowly, still frowning. “And why do you need me?”</p><p>“Because Tench got a job at Google,” Meade replies with a nonchalant shrug.</p><p>“Why take that job if he could make so much money doing this?” Alex asks quizzically.</p><p>“It’s <em>Google,</em> not <em>Yahoo,”</em> Washington deadpans, to which Alex hums in understanding, nodding slowly. “So, what do you say? Are you in?” Washington asks after a beat.</p><p>Alex suddenly feels a wave of nausea take over and he shakes his head quickly. “Um, no!?”</p><p>“Washington’s face drops. “Why not? You can make a lot of money doing this.”</p><p>“I don’t need it,” Alex says quickly which earns a sharp laugh from John.</p><p>“Yeah, alright. I bet that you’re currently struggling to pay for law school,” John replies with a lifted brow. “Doing this can cover that.”</p><p>“Fuck off,” Alex snaps in retaliation. John has the grating aura of a rich southern asshole and Alex wishes desperately to erase his presence from the room. “Why are you here? You don’t seem like you need the money.”</p><p>John shrugs nonchalantly. “I’m bored and it’s fun.” John pops a piece of gum in his mouth, keeping his narrow eyes on Alex as he chews slow and loud. “We all have our reasons for being here.”</p><p>“So, what do you say, Alexander?” Washington says, causing Alex to sharply turn his head in his direction. He leans on the table with his sleeves rolled up, exuding powerful energy that makes Alex weak in the knees. “Are you in or are you out?”</p><p>Alex looks over at the other students who all watch him expectantly. He frowns, shaking his head and backing out the door. “No thanks. I’ll pass.”</p><p>“If John’s deterring you because he’s being an ass—” Angelica starts, earning a scoff from John.</p><p>“No, it’s not that,” Alex cuts Angelica off quickly, waving his hands before shoving them in his pockets. “I’m just...not interested…”</p><p>“Well, if you change your mind, the spot is still open,” Washington says lowly. “It won’t stay open forever, though…”</p><p>“Yep, got it,” Alex says, popping the ‘p’ as he slides back out the door.</p><p>“Oh, and Alex,” Washington interrupts quickly, causing Alex to pause in the doorway. “This stays a secret. If you tell anyone about this, I can end you. Do you understand what I’m saying?”</p><p>Alex gulps nervously and nods quickly before closing the door and near-jogging down the hall. His heart pounds in his chest and he gasps desperately for air as anxiety consumes him. <em>What the fuck just happened!?</em></p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Had to save this one for last before the final birthday fic because this one took me the longest to write. The amount of research I did for this fic is ridiculous, honestly xD And in the end I just decided on ripping off some dialogue from “21” out of pure laziness and fear of math.</p><p>I have never seen any modern fics where Alex gets adopted by Thomas Stevens while Edward (Neddy) is his adoptive older brother. (Also decided to put Jim, aka James Hamilton Jr. — his biological brother — in this as well for the dynamic.) It also just worked better in this particular fic since most fanfic writers tend to have him adopted by the Washington's, but that just...doesn't work for this particular story xD </p><p>I liked how this one turned out. Maybe I’ll consider continuing this one further… <em>maybe...</em> I have so many WIPs in the works, but this one would be quite the slow burn since John and Alex absolutely hate each other at the start.</p></blockquote></div></div>
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